Question of the Week
Each week we set out to solve one of the world's weirdest, wackiest, funniest and funkiest scientific puzzles. And along with the answer there's a brand new question to think about for next time...
Sounds of the Stables - Why don't donkeys sound like horses? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.05.24
Why do horses go "neigh!" when donkeys "he-haw!"? And what noize do zebras make? Just because they look similar, should they sound the same? Plus, we ask how food alters the smell of your urine…
Why do we have different blood groups? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.05.17
We discover some likely explanations for the different blood groups seen in humans. Is there any reason for having one blood type over another? Do other animals have them too? Plus, we ask: why do horses, donkeys and zebras all make different noises?
Why haven't crocodiles changed? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.05.10
Crocodiles have been the same for millennia upon millennia. What's going on? Why are they so uneventful in terms of evolution? Plus, we ask why we have different blood types.
Does the Doppler shift affect radio? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.05.03
Do radio signals change as we move to and from the transmitter? Do our movements affect how a radio boradcast sounds? We find the answer in this question of the week. Plus, we ask why crocodiles haven't changed all that much in the last few million years.
Can you carbon date your granny? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.04.26
We find out if it's possible to put an age on someone without a birth certificate. Given that cells regularly regenerate in the body, can you carbon date your grandmother? Plus, we ask if radio shows get doppler shifted.
Who has the cleaner mouth, dog or human? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.03.29
We explore why a dog's mouth might be cleaner then a human's from the perspective of getting a bite from either. Who's got the worst oral bacteria? Plus, we ask how worms survive flooding of their soil-y burrows.
Do Worms Drown? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.04.12
This week's question endeavours to find the answer to the footpath conundrum - how do worms survive in the rain? What happens if the soil dries out? Plus, we ask if it's possible to carbon-date one's grandmother…
Are all the calories in food absorbed? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.03.22
This week's question is all about energy! Do our bodies manage to harvest all the energy from food or do we miss a few calories here and there? Plus, we ask whose bite is worse, dog or human?
Do subliminal learning CDs work? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.03.15
We find out if it's possible to revise for exams, become a mechanic or pick up a new language in your sleep! Do those CDs really work? Plus, we ask how many calories our bodies actually absorb from the food we eat.
How is money made? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.03.08
In this lucrative Question of the Week we find out how paper notes and metal coins are minted and printed in the money making factories of the UK. Plus, we ask if and how subliminal CDs work…
Why does white clothing become see-through when wet? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.03.01
We find out about the physics behind wet T-shirt competitions! Why is it that pale clothing becomes transparent with the addition of water? Plus, in a totally unrelated question, we ask how money is made…
Does ploughing snow cause global warming? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.02.22
In this seasonal Question of the Week we explore how removing the lovely white reflective stuff might cause the whole world to warm up. Plus, we ask how wet T-shirt competitions work (the science behind it, that is)!
Can you make a phone call from a black hole? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.02.15
Got an urgent call that needs to overcome virtually infinite gravity? This Question of the Week explores if mobile calls from black holes are possible. Plus, we ask if ploughing up the snow can worsen global warming.
Did the dinosaurs have the same seasons as we do? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.02.08
We discover whether life in the Cretaceous period was as seasonal as it is today. Did dinosaurs put up with leaves on the line too? Plus, we ask whether it's possible to make a call from a black hole.
Will the washing dry outside in the winter? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.02.01
We find out if evaporation works in cold weather too! Is it worth using the tumble dryer, after all? Plus, we ask if the seasons have always sat in the same part of the solar year…
Can a tanker pull birds off-course? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.01.25
We find out whether a giant hulk of steel can disrupt a bird's navigation system. Would a 350,000 ton tanker do the trick? Plus, we ask how cold it can be before hanging out the washing becomes pointless.
Do pets look like their owners? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.01.18
We find out if the old adage is true - do pets really look similar to their owners? Or is it just that we only tend to remember those that do look similar? Plus, we ask why pigeons like settling on oil tankers…
How do countries add up their CO2 emissions? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.01.11
In this environmentally-themed QotW we find out how nations across the globe add up their greenhouse gas contributions. Does everyone do CO2 accounts in the same way? Plus, we ask why it is that pets look like their owners.
Why can't dogs eat chocolate? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.12.21
We discover why delicious chocolate is deadly for dogs. Why should they be denied the pleasure? Plus, we ask how countries measure their carbon dioxide output accurately.
What would happen if you 'Tasered' an elephant? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.12.14
We find out what would happen if you tried to use a stun gun on an elephant. Would you live to tell the tale? Plus, we ask why dogs need to avoid chocolate…